How To Start A Lucrative Cucumber Farming Business: The Complete Guide

The value of agriculture to the development of various economies, especially countries in Africa, like Nigeria, has continued to give way to the accelerated growth of several agribusiness sectors. One of such is Cucumber farming.

According to statista, Cucumbers are the 8th most grown vegetable crops around the world; right after Maize, Sugar Beet, Cassava, Tomatoes, Water Melons, Sweet Potatoes, and Dry Onions.

Its large production rate—about 779,000 tons in 2014 alone—is in direct proportion to the crop’s local and international demand, making its production for local retail or export a lucrative one for people to venture into.

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What Is Cucumber FarmingAbout?

Cucumber farming is the cultivation of the Cucumber vegetable crop for consumption and industrial use. Cucumbers, also known as Cucumis sativus, is a creeping vine that sprouts cucumiform fruits that are used as vegetables. They are also scientifically considered as a fruit since they contain enclosed seeds and develop from a flower.

Business Opportunities In Cucumber Farming

1). Source Of Food:

Cucumbers are a great source of food and water, as they contain 96% water and can be consumed raw in the form of salad or pickled.

2). Cosmetics:

Cucumbers are used in cosmetic industry for the production of soaps, lotions, shampoos, and fragrances.

1). Slicing Cucumbers:

These Cucumbers are grown to be eaten fresh. They usually mature on vines with large leaves that provide shading and are mainly eaten in the unripe green form, since the ripe yellow variant usually gets bitter and sour.

2). Pickling Cucumbers:

This variant of cucumbers are pickled for flavor and longer shelf-life. Although almost any variant of cucumber can be pickled, commercial pickles are gotten from cucumbers specially grown for uniformity of length-to-diameter ratio, and that lacks voids in the flesh.

3). Burpless Cucumbers:

Burpless cucumbers are the sweeter variants, have thinner skin than all the other varieties of cucumber, are easy to digest, and have a pleasant taste. They can grow as long as 2 feet (0.61 m), are almost seedless, and have a very delicate skin.

Setting Up Your Cucumber Farming Business

1). Farmland:

The first step to planting cucumbers is to acquire a rich farmland. The soil on this land should preferably be sandy-loam and drained, as Cucumbers will usually be planted in raised beds of around 6 inches high. The soil should also have a good amount of organic matter in it, especially manure, as these will give the plants the nutrients they require.

The farmland should also be well exposed to sunlight, as Cucumbers require enough warmth to grow right.

2). Planting The Cucumbers:

The cucumbers can first be planted in biodegradable seed pots, indoors, to ensure the roots will not be damaged before being taken outdoors. During planting, a space of about 40 cm should be left between each and should be planted about 2.5 cm deep.

If more than one row will be planted, they can be spaced at around 90 cm.

3). Tending To The Crops:

While you should weed frequently, be careful not to go below a certain cm that would compromise your crop’s growth. To ensure they get juicy and firm, water them weekly. This contributes to the crops’ water content.

4). Harvesting:

After about 50 to 60 days after planting, the cucumbers would have grown to a suitable size that’s large enough for harvest. They are best harvested when they’re still green, because when they turn yellow, the flavor and quality of the fruit decline, making it bitter, sour, or even worse.

Conclusion

The demand for cucumbers worldwide, its relatively short germination period, and its market opportunities make cucumber farming a lucrative agribusiness to venture into in Nigeria and many other parts of the world.

What are your thoughts on how to start cucumber farming in Nigeria, Africa, or any other part of the world? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

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About Stan Edom

I'm an entrepreneur with an expertise in supply chain management, small business development, e-commerce, internet startups, and agriculture. In my spare time, I'm always trying to solve problems people face in their everyday lives with tech.

I am a subscriber to your blog and read lots of your articles.
I am working on a digital magazine and wish to include a business guide section. I would like to know if I can use your articles for this purpose.

You mentioned marketing constraints which is very vital for a successful business.
Please how can one get a good market for sales if we cultivate cucumber in very large quantity.
i will be very grateful if more light is thrown towards this direction.

What I read here is very interesting. Please my cucumber fruits are bending and some fruits have even stopped growing. When I break the deformed fruits, I find out that it is being attacked by insects. What should I do to put to an end the disturbing situation?